Apparatus for trimming plaster-board and the like



1. AND J. E. SCHUMACHER. APPARATUSFQR TRIMMING PLASTER BOARD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1916. 7

Patented Feb. 0, 1920.

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WITNESSES: w

1. AND J. E. SCHUMACHER. APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING PLASTER BOARD AND THE LIKE.

- APPLICATION FILED IUNE 20,1916- 1,329,634. Patented Feb. 3,1920.

3 SHEETS'SHEEI 2.

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1. AND J. E. SCHUMACHER.

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING PLASTER BOARD AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, i916.

Patented Feb. 3,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- THEIR ATTEIRNEIY 71 uh 6'7 R WZM.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SCI-IUMACHER AND JOSEPH E. SCHUIVIACHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING- PLASTER-BOARD AND THE LIKE.

Application filed June 20, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN SCHUMAOHER and JosnrH E. SoHUMAoHnR, both citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have jointly invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming Plaster-Board and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to. provide apparatus which is peculiarly fitted to carry out the trimming step or steps in the manufacture of plaster board, and in this aspect it is related to the subject-matter of prior inventions patented by us, an instance of which is the invention of U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,17 6,322, issued to us March 21, 1916, for process of making plaster-board and the like.

The present invention relates more particularly to apparatus for the final trimming of plaster-board units, preferably in stacked relation, after the originally unstable plastic substance of such units or sheets has hardened or set. In one mode of use of the invention, successive stacks of plaster-board, each stack upon a tray or other suitable surface, is fed to the apparat-us to be trimmed. The trays supporting the plaster-board stacks, are successively passed longitudinally of the plaster-boardstrips or units, under a saw, or plurality of saws, to trim the lateral edges of all of the units or sheets of plaster-board in such stack. While the tray is still in position in the apparatus, a cross cut saw is passed through the plaster-board units upon such tray to trim the same to final lengths, after which the trays with their stacks of trimmed units are removed from the trimmin zone and may be further treated or disposed of in accordance with the re-- quirements of any particular case. The present invention therefore has for its object to provide apparatus of the general character stated, which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction and organization, of great capacity, convenience 111 control of the several parts and elements and efliciency 1n operation, and which will be generally superior in point of serviceability and duraat one end as by a cross rail 12, the other end bility.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and use ful provision, construction, combination,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Serial No. 104,681.

tion of appended arrows, parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional View taken on the line w w Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows, parts being shown in the elevation for clearness of illustration.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of an adjustment feature of the invention, parts being shown in elevation; and Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged sectional view of certain details of the invention, taken on the line w-w, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows.

Corresponding parts in all of the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawings, in the embodiment of the invention therein shown, A designates the framework of an apparatus organized to embody the invention, B designates longitudinal trimming means for the plaster-board, G designates transversely operable trimming means for trimming the plaster-board into final lengths, D designates supporting and advancing means for the plaster-board, and E of such side rails 7 and 8 being joined to the rail 9. A cross rail 13 is provided to unlte the ralls 9 and 10 at one end thereof,

, members 17 and 17 27' unite the members 17, 17 ,17, and 17 shaft 19, a plurality of bearings20 and 21 for said shaft 19 mounted respectively upon side members 17 and 17 of the framework 17, washers .22 on said -shaftnear each end thereof, andiclamping nuts 23 provided on the threaded ends of-the shaft. Bushings 2d are shown as interposed between the saws 15 and 16 and their respective clamping nuts 23. 0 These bushings 2 1 permit adjustment of the saws along the shaft 19 as by placing the bushings inwardly of the saws and clampingthe saws directly between the nuts 23 and thebushings 2 1 the distance between the saws will be correspondingly increased over that shown in the drawings. The framework 17 preferably comprises the side members 17 and 17", a transverse member 25 and transverse member 26, and brace Straps or the like withv a transverse shaft constituting the 9 screws 34 means of pivotal connection 18, the overhanging ends of such shaft 18 bein'greceived in bearings 28 and 29 mounted upon theffZpermit free movement of the chain uponframe members 7 and 8, respectively. The;

30 through whichisthre'aded ascrew shaft, 31 32 and at the other end with a groove 33 into which is fitted a split collar 34. secured to one endv of the shaft 18 by means of Thelshaft 18 is bored to accommodatethe end31 ofTthe screw shaft 31 and the entire framework 17 with the saws car-= ried thereby may be shifted or adjusted V transversely of: the framework A to laterally adjustthe saws with respect to the frameworkA. The operating means I) for the; saws 15 and 16' may consist of an electric motor 35' controlled-as to operation by means ofa switch 36 arranged to supply or cut off electrical energy received from a source of supply of electrical energy through circuit wires 37 and supplied to the motor 85 through wires 38. The means of adjustment 6 preferably comprises a plurality of screw shafts 39 passed through the frame member 25 which is located near thesaws 15 and 16, a plurality of abutments 40 extending from the framework A into the path of the screw shafts39, a shaft 41 positioned at a point in the framework A, or in an extension A thereof higher than the saw-carrying frame 17, a plurality of sprockets 4:2 keyed to the I weight 14, and means d for operating the shaft 41 to raise or lower the saw-carrying end of the frame 17. The operating means d may comprise a hand wheel 4:5 secured to a shaft 16 mounted upon the framework extension A, a sprocket 457 on the shaft 16, an endless chain 48, and a further sprocket 49 secured to the shaftel. The chain 48 is rove about the sprockets A7 and 19 so that upon rotation of the hand wheel 45 the sawcarrying end of the frame 17 will be raised or lowered according to the direction of rotation of the hand wheel. The screw shafts 39 are each provided with a hand wheel 39 and, being threaded through apertures in the frame member 25, may be rotatedto project the screw shafts the desired distance through such frame member 25 to contact with the lugs 1-0, to the end that the saws may be arrested in their downward travel at the proper point.

j A pawl 48" pivoted to the frame as at 48 and drawn into the chain by a spring 4C8 is provided to hook into the chain 18 in such manner that. rotation of the shaft 41, due to the weight of the saw-carrying frame and in such direction as will permit descent of the qsaws is prevented except when the pawl is g. manually held out of contact with the chain IQAS. The nose 48 of the pawl is shaped to manipulation of the hand wheel 45 in a di ,rection to raise the saw-carrying frame. The

k .motor 35 is suitably fixed to the framework provided at one end wlth a hand whee].

.17 and a belt 5 transmits power from a pulley b on the motor shaft to a pulley d secured to the saw mandrel shaft 19.

The transversely operable trimming means 0 preferably includes a reciprocatory rec tangular frame 50, preferably of angle iron.- and mounted for reciprocation within the frame members or rails 9 and 10, and in a path at right angles to the planes of the saws 15 and 16 and the direction of extension of the frame rails 7 and 8. A "satisfactory means of mounting the frame 50 comprises a plurality of rollers or'wheels 51 rotatably mounted at the inside faces of the rails 9 and 10 as by means of stub shafts 52, and spaced apart along such rails 9 and 10 in the path of travel of the angle iron frame 50 which is suspended therefrom. The means C further includes a sub-frame 58 mounted inside of the frame 50, a saw mandrele,a circularsaw 5% mounted upon the mandrel 6, means f for operatingthe saw 54-, and means of adjustment 9 for the saw 541 and the frame 58 together with the mandrel 6 carried by such frame. The frame 53 is mounted within the frame 50 and pivotally suspended at one end therefrom as by means of a horizontal pivot extending through an end member 53 of the frame 53 or through lugs 56 provided on such frame member, the pivot being supported at its ends in bosses 57 extending inwardly from the sides of the rectangular frame 50. The other end of the frame 53, which frame further comprises members 58 and 59 and an end member 60, is suspended from a bridge 61 extending from side to side of the rectangular frame 50, by means of screw shafts 61 each provided with a hand wheel 61 and passed through threaded apertures in the bridge and being rotatably mounted at their lower headed ends in the transverse member of the frame 53, elongated slots 60 being provided to receive the headed ends of the screw shafts. These screw shafts and attendant features constitute the adjustment means g. The mandrel 0 comprises a rotatable shaft 62, bearings 63 and 6% for said shaft and mounted respectively on the frame members 58 and 59, and means for seeming the circular saw 54 to the shaft 63 near one end thereof, such securing means preferably comprising a washer and nut device 65 of standard construction. The operating means f for the saw 54 preferably consists of an electric motor 66 mounted on the frame 50 at the end thereof opposite the bridge-carrying end, and such motor may be controlled as to operativeness by means of a cable 67 through which the circuit wires supplying such motor with electric energy extend, a convenient manner of suspendlng the cable being by means of a pulley, rope and counter-weight device 7, the pulley ",eing fastened to a ceiling above the apparatus or to any other suitable support. The cable leads from the motor to a switch 67 through which the motor may be supplied with electrical energy from the circuit wires 37.

The supporting and advancing means D preferably comprises a pair of ways it which may be in the form of rails 68 and 69 and supported from the floor, an endless chaln 7 0 preferably disposed between the rails 68 and 69, a carriage 71 adapted to traverse the ways, means for operating the chain and through it the carriage 71, and controlling means 70 for the operating means. The chain 70 is rove about a sprocket 72 mounted upon an ope ating shaft 73 having suitable bearings 74 and disposed at one end of the rails 68 and 69, the upper course of the chain riding on a guide 75 and the lower course of the chain being disposed beneath such guide. The chain extends be tween the rails completely under the framework of the apparatus, from the operating shaft 73 to a point along the ways where it will serve to deliver the plaster-board on the carriage 71, by means of propelling such carriage, to the delivery point of the plaster board, where it is to be put through the next steps in its manufacture or otherwise disposed of. The carriage 71 is preferably provided with wheels 71 mounted on axles 71 journaled to a rectangular frame work or carriage body 71 and such carriage is connected with a link in the upper course of the chain 70 by means of a downwardly ranged tooth 71 secured to the carriage frame 71. The frame 71 preferably has a flat top and is adapted to receive successively presented trays 7 6 on which trays the plaster-board units shown at 77 are stacked during earlier stages of the manufacture of such units. The operating means may comprise a reversible electric motor 78 of the well known permanent magnet type, a drive belt 7 9 from the pulley 80 of such m0- tor, a differential wheel 81, a friction wheel 82 secured to a shaft 83 rotatably mounted on the framework A, a relatively small sprocket 84 on the shaft 83, a large sprocket 85 secured to a short counter shaft 86 rotatably journaled in the framework A, a chain 87 passed about the sprockets s4. and 85, a sprocket 88 secured to the shaft 86, a sprocket 89 secured to the shaft 73, and a further chain 90 rove about the sprockets 88 and 89. Guide sprockets or idlers 91 may be provided to support the chain 90 intermediately of the sprockets 88 and 89. These operating features are all preferably ranged along the side rail 7 of the frame work A and are all subject to control through the group of control devices constituting the controlling means is. Such group of con trolling means 76 may consist of a conventional reversing switch 92 connected with the electrical supply wires 37 and connected with the motor through circuit wires 93 in such manner that by throwing the switch in one direction the motor will rotate in such direction as is necessary to propel the carriage 71' in the direction of the large arrow shown on such carriage in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and by throwing the switch in the other direction to cause the rotation of the motor in the opposite direction with consequent opposite travel of the carriage 71, braking means 70, and means Is for connecting and disconnecting the differentialwheel 81 with the friction wheel 82. The braking means 70 may consist of a brake-shoe 9 f mounted upon a lever 95 pivotally connected to a vertical post of the framework as at 96 and adapted to be operated by a hand lever 97 pivotally mounted to the framework as at 98 at a point within easy reach of the operator. A connecting link or the like 99 is pivotally connected at one end to the hand member 97 and at the other end tothe braking lever 95. A fur ther breaking lever 100 is pivoted to the transverse framework near the side rail 9 thereof as at 101 to permit of control from the point of disposition of the lever 100. The lever 100 may be connected to or passed under the lever 95 and upon depression of the grip portion 102 thereof the brake-shoe may be brought to bear against the friction wheel 82. The means is whereby the differential wheel 81 may be caused to contact with the friction wheel 82 to cause the 7 operation through the train of sprockets and chains, of the carriage 71, may consist of an oscillatory lever 103 pivotally mounted at one end to the framework as at 104: near the motor 78 and carrying the differential wheel 81 which is mounted on the lever 10% by means of a stub shaft 105 upon which the wheel 81 is rotatably mounted. The oscillatory lever is confined to a direct path of travel and to a path above the wheel 82 by means of a guide 106 and a handle portion 103 may be provided on the lever 103 and be adapted to take into a notched detent or rack 107. A lever 108 may be mounted above the lever 103 as by plvotally connecting the same. at 109 with a bracket 110 de pending from a ceiling. A link or the like '111 connects one end of the lever 108 with the lever 103 and the other end of the lever 108 is counterbalanced as by a weight 112.

A cord 113 may be provided and lead over motor speed, the smaller portion 81 of the differential wheel 81 may be brought into engagement with the rim of the friction wheel 82 as will now be described. The belt 79 from the motor 71 passes about such smaller portion 81 of the differential wheel, and by sliding the wheel 82 longitudinally of its axis of rotation, the belt surrounding the portion 81 of the differential wheel may be brought into contact with the rim of the wheel 82 upon depression of the lever 103 through the handle 103 thereof. To permit this movement of the friction wheel 82, the short shaft 83 upon which the same is mounted is adapted to play through its bearing 83 in the framework A and a collar 83 is provided on the shaft 83, such collar 83 being provided with a circumferential groove 83 into whichtangs 83 formed on the end of a bifurcated lever 83 may be disposed. The lever 83 is pivoted to the framework as at 83 and opposite the bifurcated end is provided with a handle portion 83 whereby the lever may be manipulated to slide the shaft 83 with the wheel 82 fixed thereto into the vertical plane required to cause engagement of the wheel 82 by the larger portion of the differential wheel 81 upon the descent of such differential wheel 81, or the wheel 82 may be shifted to one side of the larger portion of the differential wheel 81 and permit such portion to be;

lowered while the smaller portion 81 of the differential Wheel, or the belt thereon, contacts with the rim of the wheel 82. The chain 87 being relatively long permits the slight distortion from its true plane of operation.

The means E for advancing the trans verse trimming means may comprise a shaft 116 provided with a sprocket 117, a hand wheel 118 whereby the shaft 116 may be rotated, and a chain 119 passed about the sprocket 117 and having one of its ends connected to the frame 50 as at 120, and having its other end connected to the frame 50 as at 121. The chain preferably ranges along the rail 9 and just inside the same, and is passed about an idler sprocket 122 at the end of the rail 9 opposite the end where the 54 may be drawn across the rails 68 and 69' and at a height to properly sever the plaster- 1 board units upon the carriage 71. When the hand wheel is.rotated in a direction opposite that required to advance the saw into the plaster board and across the rails, the saw will be returned to its normal resting position.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing disclosure, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement:

A tray 77 upon which the plaster-board is stacked, may be placed upon the carriage 71 and alined thereon so that the edges of the plaster-board will be properly trimmed, the carriage 71 during the loading thereof being in the open, that is not under the framework of the apparatus, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 1. The saw-carrying frame is raised through manipulation of the hand wheel 45, the lever 103 is operated to cause the contact of the differential wheel 81 withthe wheel 82 and'thereby drive the chain 70 to draw the the plaster-board into position to be oper-f ated upon by the saws 15 and 16. Upon the release of the lever 103 the counter-weight 112 will cause the same to rise and thedifi'en plaster-board under the saws, which havebeen previously lowered by. releasing the pawl 48* and adjusting the screws 39. The adjustment of the screws 39 is usually such that the saws may cut down to the tray 77 through all of the superposed sheets of plaster-board trimming, all such sheets or units at the'same time. The saws l5 and 16 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow shown on the saw '15 in Fig. 1, being controlled as to operation through the switch 36 supplying energy to the saw-operating motor 85. As the carriage with its stack of plaster-board units advances such units into engagement with the saws 15 and 16 a strip is taken. off of both sides of each of the plaster-board units, resulting in the smooth trimming of all of the units in the stack as the carriage 71 progresses under the saws. After the side edges of the plaster-board units have been thus trimmed, the lever 103 is raised to disconnect the power and stop the carriage, whereupon the saws 15 and 16 are raised by raising their frame 17 by manipulation of hand wheel 15, the pawl 48 serving to maintain the saws in elevated and out-of-theway position, the switch 92 is again reversed to causethe operation of the motor 7 8 in such direction as will cause the carriage 71 to be again drawn toward the sprocket 89 which occurs upon depression of the lever 103, such movement of the carriage being arrested by disconnecting the power and applying the brakes, as will now be understood, as soon as the end of the stack of plaster-board units upon such carriage has traveled inwardly far enough to permit the extreme edges of the units of such stack to be trimmed or cut transversely, by means of the transversely operable trimming means, which is about to be brought into operation. The control devices may be again reversed and the carriage moved forwardly to aline the plaster-board units thereon properly with the cutting plane of the saw 54. The carriage is then stopped and the saw 54 adjusted to proper height by means of the screw shafts 61', whereupon by turning the hand wheel 118 in the proper direction, the frame 50 carrying the oscillatory frame 53 upon which the saw 54 is mounted will be drawn across the ways or rails 68 and 69 to transversely sever the plaster-board units comprised within the stack, the saw 54 having previously been set into operation by throwing the switch 67 supplying electrical energy to its motor 66. After the saw has been drawn across and made its transverse cut through the plaster-board units, the hand wheel 118 is turned in the opposite direction and, as will be understood, through the chain 119 which had previously drawn the frame 50 in a cutting direction, the frame 50 will be returned to its normal resting position. By application of the power to the carriage to propel the same farther along the ways or rails 68 and 69, other transverse cuts may be made upon rest-ing the carriage at the proper point. The last out at the farther end of the stack of plasterboard units may be so made, and the carriage then propelled by further application of power, to its limit of travel, which may be determined by the length of the chain 70 and the position of its idler sprocket 76. After the carriage is in the clear the tray with its plaster-board units is removed therefrom for further finishing of such units, or other disposition of the same, and other trays upon which other untrimmed plaster board units are stacked may be successively brought to the carriage to be carried thereby -to the trimming zone of the apparatus for final or other trimming.

Having thus disclosed our invention, we claim and desire to secure Letters Patent:

1. A plaster board trimming machine. including a horizontal framework, a carriage movable longitudinally back and forth under the framework and adapted to support a stack of superposed plaster board sheets, a vertically adjustable saw frame mounted on the framework over the path of the carriage, saws carried by the saw frame and arranged longitudinally of the path of the carriage to trim the longitudinal edges of the plaster board sheets, a sliding frame mounted on the horizontal frame and movable toward and away from the path of the carriage at an angle thereto, a vertically adjustable saw frame carried by the sliding frame, a saw carried by the said frame and arranged transversely to the path of the carriage to trim the ends of the plaster board sheets, and means for moving the sliding frame into and out of operative position.

2. A plaster board trimming machine, including a straight track, a horizontal framework arranged over the straight track, a carriage movable upon the track and adapted to support a stack of superposed plaster board sheets, a vertical swinging frame mounted on the framework, saws carried by the framework and arranged longitudinally of the track for trimming the longitudinal edges of the plaster board sheets when the saw frame is swung downwardly to bring the saws into the path of the stack of plaster board sheets, stop means for limiting the downward swinging movement of the frame, a chain and sprocket connection for swinging the frame upwardly, a counter-weight operatively connected to the chain and sprocket connection, and detent means cooperating with the chain and sprocket connection to prevent backward movement thereof.

3. A plaster board trimming machine, including a horizontal framework, a carriage movable longitudinally back and forth under the framework and adapted to support a stack of superposed plaster board sheets, a

swinging saw frame mounted over the path of the carriage, a transverse saw shaft carried by the swinging frame, saws fitted on the shaft and arranged parallel to the path of. the carriage for trimming the longitudinal edges of theplaster board, means for holding the saw frame and saws in an ad justed position, a sliding frame mounted to move toward and away from the path of the carriage in a direction at substantially right angles thereto, a vertically swinging saw frame carried by the sliding frame, a saw shaft thereon, a saw fitted on the shaft and arranged transversely with respect to the carriage for trimming the ends of the plaster board sheets, means for holding the said swinging frame and saw in an ad usted position, and means for moving the sliding frame toward andaway from the path of the carriage. '7

4:. A plaster board trimming machine, including a horizontal framework, a carriage movable longitudinally back and forth under the framework and adaptedto support a stack of superposed plaster board sheets, a vertically movable saw frame mounted on the framework over the path of the carriage,'saws carried by the saw frame and arranged longitudinally of the path of the carriage to trim the longitudinal edges of the plaster board sheets, stop means for limiting the downward travel of the saw frame whereby the saws may be quickly and accurately positioned to cut through thestack of plaster board sheets, means for elevating the saw frame into inoperative position, a sliding frame mounted to move toward and away from the path of the carriage in a direction at substantially right angles thereto, a transversely disposed saw carried by the said sliding frame, means for vertically adjusting the saw, and means for moving the sliding frame to bring the saw carried thereby into and out of operative position. 7

'5. A plaster board trimming machine, including a straight'track, a horizontal framework having a portion extending longitudinally of the track and a portion extending transversely thereof, a carriage movable upon the track and adapted to support a stack of'superposed plaster board sheets, a vertically adjustable saw frame mounted on the longitudinal portion of the framework, circular saws carried by the said frame and arranged longitudinally of the track so that they will trim the longitudinal edges of the plaster board sheets as the carriage is advanced, stop means for accurately posithe carriage .ina direction at substantially right angles thereto, a verticallyadjustable saw carrying framemounted on said sliding frame, a saw carried by the last "mentioned,

frame and arranged transversely to the path of the'carriage for trimming the ends of the plaster board, and means for moving the sliding frame to bring the saw carried there by into and out of operativeposition.

6. A plaster board trimming machine,'in-

eluding a straight track, a horizontal framework above the track, a carriage movable upon the track and adapted to supporta stack of superposed plaster boardjsheets, a vertically adjustable saw -'frame mounted upon the framework, saws carriedby ,the

dinal edges of the plaster board sheets'asthe carriage is advanced, a drive chain operatively connected-to thecarriage for moving 7 the sameupon the track, a motor, a driving connection betweenthe motor and the drive chain, and brake means'associated with and saw frame and arranged to trim thelongitu-- cooperating with the driving COIlIlBGtlOIlfiJO V admit of quickly and accurately {positioning the carriage'in the desired' -rnanner. 7

7 A plaste board trlmmmg ma'chine, in-

eluding a straight track, ahorizontalframework arranged over the straight track, a!

carriage movable upon thetrack' and adapted to support a stack of superposed plaster board sheets, a vertically? swinging saw frame m ounted'on the framework, saws carried by the swinging frame and arranged longitudinally of the track to trim-thelon gitudinal edges of the plaster board sheets,

stop means for limiting the movement of the swlngmg frame 1n one 7 directlon, a cha n and sprocket arrangement for swinging the,

frame in the other direction, a 'counterweight operatively connected to the chaln and sprocket arrangement, and manual means for operating the chain and sprocket connection; a

' In testimony whereof we have signed-our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing wltnesses. 3

JOHN SCHUMACHER.

JOSEPH E. SCHUMAOHER. Witnesses:

RAYMOND IvEs-BLAKEsmE,

J. SHUTT. 

